The Top 100 Camp? Yeah I know, me either, but oh the things we learn. The Top 100 Camp is a basketball camp organized by the NBA's Player Association (NBPA) for the nation's top 100 rising seniors and juniors. The campers play basketball games (duh), run through skill development and fundamental drills with current and former players, and attend classes that educate about personal and professional development, life skills, and money management (don't buy two Bentleys, just buy one). Pretty important stuff for these potential NBAers who quite possibly will be raking in millions in the near future.
Ron Bailey (of HoyaReport.com fame) and I arrived at John Paul Jones Arena on the campus of University of Virgina pretty early in the day. The kids were still in class and the media pass guy was MIA. So as I sat in the 100 level seats waiting for the action, I reminisced on my week as a camper way back in '93.
It wasn't the NBPA Top 100 Camp, but it was close. As a ten-year-old rising 5th grader, I attended Kenny Smith's Rocket Basketball camp (sponsored by an NBAer at least). And it wasn't in the plush facilities of a publicly funded state university. It was at the confines of a publicly under funded high school in Texas where we had to keep the doors open to "try to stay cool" in the smothering Houston humidity. I don't remember how I fared in the basketball competition but I'm sure I was a beast, as I am now. However, I do remember current Washington Mystics coach Tree Rollins lecturing us about the importance of tucking our shirts in because he had broken his finger by catching it in the jersey of a sloppily dressed Hakeem Olajuwon. I also remember having a slight resentment toward perennial assistant coach Bill Berry for working us out like we actually had contracts. All in all, I had a good experience and felt fully prepared to jump to the League after 6th grade, but I never got to meet Kenny the Jet.
Anyway, the Top 100 camp included a lot of local (DC, Maryland, Virginia) talent: Josh Selby, Kendall Marshall, and Rodney MacGruder. Why is it that the area produces so many good players, but I can never find anywhere to play around here. Any suggestions?
Shout out to Antonio Daniels.
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